Ryan Chen & Kent Yoshimura: From Tragedy to Building a $100M/Year Brand

Who Are They?

Ryan Chen and Kent Yoshimura are the co-founders of NeuroGum, the functional gum and mints brand that today generates over $100 million a year. Their story isn’t just about building a business — it’s about resilience, friendship, and turning adversity into innovation.

Ryan’s Life-Changing Accident

Ryan Chen grew up as an ambitious athlete — a national Kendo team member and state champion in cross country. But at 19, his life was turned upside down. During a snowboarding trip at Big Bear, he overshot a jump, landed on his back, and shattered his spine. In an instant, he was paralyzed from the waist down.

The accident threw Ryan into deep depression. He questioned whether life was worth living and feared he’d forever be a burden. But through the support of his family and close friends, Ryan found the strength to move forward. His best friend reminded him: “You’re still the same guy, just in a chair now — and sometimes faster because of the wheels.” That perspective gave him the mental reset he needed.

A College Friendship That Sparked Innovation

On Ryan’s first day at UC San Diego, he met Kent Yoshimura, a fellow student and competitive athlete training with Japan’s Olympic judo team. The two bonded instantly over video games, workouts, and their mutual obsession with optimizing performance.

At the time, both were experimenting with pills and supplements for energy and focus. Kent even mixed formulas in his dorm room, blending nootropics and creatine. But one scuba diving trip gave them their “aha” moment: sharing pills wasn’t exactly convenient or approachable. What if they could deliver these ingredients in a friendlier, more social format — like gum or mints?

That was the seed of NeuroGum.

The Struggle Years

Like most startups, the idea was exciting — but execution was brutal. Ryan cashed out his 401(k) and the duo poured every dollar they had into R&D. They lived off credit card points and, at one point, Ryan even played semi-pro poker to cover rent.

Manufacturers ignored their calls. Early formulas kept failing. When they finally had a working prototype, they had no money left to produce more.

Their lifeline came through crowdfunding. Launching on Indiegogo, Kent leveraged Reddit communities, and within days, they hit their $30,000 goal. Time Magazine picked up the story, calling their product “half energy, half gum.” Soon after, NeuroGum appeared on Dr. Oz, and the orders started flooding in.

From Apartments to Shark Tank

For the first year, Kent’s apartment doubled as their warehouse. Together, they hauled thousands of pounds of gum to the USPS daily. Revenue climbed from $100K in year one to $750K in year two, and they knew this was more than just a side hustle.

Still, survival wasn’t easy. They went years without paying themselves, faced inventory shortages, and nearly went bankrupt multiple times.

In 2019, they took a chance on Shark Tank. Although they walked away without a deal, the exposure catapulted NeuroGum into the spotlight. Celebrities like Joe Rogan, Steve Aoki, and Ashley Graham began praising the product organically.

The Lawsuit That Nearly Ended It All

Just as growth was accelerating, disaster struck: a trademark lawsuit threatened to destroy everything. Fighting in court would bankrupt them. Out of options, Ryan cold-DM’d billionaire Daniel Lubetzky (founder of KIND Snacks and a guest Shark) on Instagram.

To their surprise, Daniel replied — and personally backed them, covering legal fees and consulting for 18 months. That lifeline saved NeuroGum.

$100M a Year and Counting

Today, NeuroGum has evolved from a scrappy side hustle into a $100M/year brand. It’s stocked in major retailers, sold online worldwide, and has become a staple for entrepreneurs, athletes, and creators seeking clean energy and focus.

Beyond revenue, Ryan and Kent are proudest of their company culture. Neuro boasts a 96% employee satisfaction rate, and the founders actively donate to causes they care about.

Lessons From Their Journey

Rock Bottom Can Be the Beginning – Ryan’s accident could have ended his story, but it became the catalyst for his resilience.
Friendship Is the Ultimate Co-founder Fit – Their trust in each other carried them through years of financial strain and uncertainty.
Exposure > Deals – Walking away from Shark Tank without funding still transformed their trajectory.
Ask for Help – A single Instagram message to the right mentor saved their company.

As Ryan’s father once told him: “Success is defined by how high you bounce back from rock bottom.” NeuroGum’s journey is proof of just that.